Bills eager to face Brady and Patriots

Buffalo wants to show it knows how to beat the best

Published 10:36 pm, Saturday, September 19, 2015

The Bills were putting the finishing touches on a season-opening win over Indianapolis when fans began looking forward to Buffalo's next opponent: New England.

"We want Brady!" they began chanting during a 27-14 victory last weekend.

Tom Brady heard them loud and clear. And the Patriots quarterback is more than happy to oblige them Sunday in a matchup of 1-0 AFC East teams.

"Well, I'll be there," Brady said, breaking into a laugh. "So they'll get their wish."

Brady's presence never has been a welcome one in Buffalo — and that started before 2012, when he criticized the city's hotels as "not the nicest places in the world." On the field, he's gone 23-3 against Buffalo as part of the Patriots' run of dominance in which they've won 26 of the past 29 meetings.

This year, the Bills vow, will be different.

They're coming off an offseason in which they retooled their offense and kept the core of an attacking defense intact. Then there's the addition of brash coach Rex Ryan, who had some success in keeping Brady in check while coaching the New York Jets.

More Information

Patriots vs. Bills

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park

TV: CBS-6

Though joking he'd prefer facing former Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan, Ryan's eager to see what his new defense can do against Brady.

"We will see at the end of this game where we stack up against the very best," Ryan said.

Brady's playing status was in question until a few weeks ago, when Judge Richard Berman lifted the NFL's four-game suspension stemming from the offseason-long "Deflategate" controversy.

Bills safety Aaron Williams welcomed the decision. "My No. 1 thing was for him to play," Williams said, noting he doesn't want to hear any Patriots' excuses if the Bills win. "What happens when he does play and we win? That tells us where we're at as a team when we play a Hall of Fame quarterback like that."

The Bills defense began proving itself in playing havoc with Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who was intercepted and sacked twice as well as held out of the end zone until the final minute of the third quarter.

Brady, for his part, didn't appear distracted in a 28-21 season-opening win over Pittsburgh. He went 25 of 32 for 288 yards and four touchdowns — three to tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Brady said his offseason ordeal was not a motivating factor.

"I know it's probably easier for people, certainly, to talk about things," Brady said. "But that's really my focus, trying to be the best I can be."